NCIS: Gibbs (Mark Harmon) questions DiNozzo's (Michael Weatherly) ability to do his job when his father (Robert Wagner) gets involved in their investigation on the attempted assassination of a foreign prince (8 p.m. CBS).

American Idol: The audition process begins in Boston, as hopefuls line up to perform for the judges on the season premiere (8 p.m. Fox).

Nova: Archaeologists and boat builders reconstruct a vessel seen on a mysterious carving in an Egyptian temple in this new episode (8 p.m. KCET).

Better Off Ted: A typo in a memo about inappropriate behavior wreaks havoc by ordering employees to "now engage in offensive language," causing long-repressed insults to start flying before Ted (Jay Harrington) can persuade the company to correct the error. Portia de Rossi also stars in this new episode (8:30 p.m. ABC).

How the Earth Was Made: This new episode surveys the 25,000-mile string of volcanoes that rings the Pacific Ocean (9 p.m. History).

The Good Wife: After a high-school quarterback dies of an overdose of painkillers, Alicia (Julianna Margulies) represents the doctor (Russell Hornsby) who prescribed the medication (10 p.m. CBS).

Little Miss Perfect: This new documentary series takes viewers inside the world of children's beauty pageants (10 p.m. WE).

MOVIES

The Good Earth: Drought, famine and greed take their toll on a Chinese farming couple in this 1937 adaptation of the Pearl Buck novel, which won Luise Rainer an Academy Award for best actress for her touching performance as long-suffering wife Olan. Paul Muni plays her husband, Wang (7 p.m. TCM).